EPIC Group Visits
In addition to schools, Jenny presents to church groups, book clubs, writer's conferences, literary societies, historical interest groups, women's retreats, and more. She can present any of the writing workshops listed on the EPIC School Visits tab, but other groups may be interested in the following options as well. She can speak on any topic (besides quantum physics, chemistry or algebra) from a literary or spiritual angle, so if you have a topic in mind, just ask. Jenny will hold a book signing as well.
PRESENTATION OPTIONS
THE EPIC JOURNEY
How exactly does one become an author anyway? Are you born with a pen in your hand, or does it take a little more than that? Jenny shares her amazing journey to become an author and the process required to make it work as a full-time profession in the crazy world of publishing. Jenny's is an EPIC journey, filled with unexpected encounters, international adventures and non-stop fun. As God's "little dictation girl" you'll get a glimpse into the joy of one who discovered exactly what she was wired to do, and lives out her passion by never working a day in her life. Perfect for book clubs, writer groups and conferences, church groups, schools, and aspiring authors everywhere.
DREAM BIG
“Pharaoh Cote” makes a grand costumed entrance and engages the audience on the subject of dreams. She’ll be joined by costumed Joseph volunteers who act out the different stages in the life of Joseph for a vibrant discussion on his incredible life. Discover anew how this Dreamer dreamed big and trusted in the Dream-Giver despite all odds. Perfect for church groups and Christian schools for Chapel.
STAR OF WONDER
Jenny will present the incredible events in the night sky and the effect on those in the Christmas story who were awestruck by the brightest star that anyone had ever seen. What was the star? Who saw it? What did they do when they saw it? Follow the journeys of the Wise Men, the Shepherds, and even those in Rome who thought that the star was a sign from the gods announcing the deity of Caesar Augustus. Little did the Romans know it indeed was a star announcing deity, but not for Caesar. Thrill in the exciting details of the Star of Wonder and learn how God even prepared a Christmas gift for future believers - that no one would open until the 20th century. The focus of this talk stems from her third novel, The Prophet, the Shepherd, and the Star. Perfect for churches, school groups or anyone who loves Christmas.
ROAD
Jenny will discuss her process to develop a book from beginning to end, from writing to publishing, using her fifth novel as the example. She uses the acrostic as well as metaphor of following a road to reach the destination. Route (mapping out a story, developing an outline from point A to Point B), Obstacles (writer’s block, research, distractions and dead ends), Attractions (fun things to see along the road for the writer as well as the reader) and Destination (editing, illustrations, typesetting, advance readers, publishing, and distribution for a new book). Perfect for writer's conferences, book clubs, or school groups.
The following three workshops center on the first two books of Jenny's current work in progress, a five book saga on the Revolutionary War: The Voice, the Revolution, and the Key (2017), The Declaration, the Sword, and the Spy (2020).
“GIVE ME LIBERTY, OR GIVE ME ANOTHER PLOT LINE!”
This lively talk covers Jenny’s research for her novel on Patrick Henry: The Voice, the Revolution, and the Key. Go behind the scenes of Patrick Henry’s famous speech that rallied a nation to independence, and discover how it actually all started in Rome. Jenny will share how she is weaving together one fun plot line for this famous speech across two novels, and a second plot line across seven novels. Perfect for book clubs, writer's conferences, literary societies, historical interest groups, and school groups.
“IF THIS BE FICTION, MAKE THE MOST OF IT!”
Playing on one of Patrick Henry’s impassioned quotes, “IF THIS BE TREASON, MAKE THE MOST OF IT!” Jenny will cover how to write historical fiction, including choosing a character, doing the crucial research (and having fun with it!), organizing the story, and then writing it to keep your reader eagerly turning the pages. Perfect for book clubs, writer's conferences, literary societies, historical interest groups, and school groups.
TOMORROW IS HISTORY
New!
Santayana famously said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Jenny L. Cote less-famously said, “The next generation needs to learn the good, the bad and the ugly of history in order to repeat the good, avoid the ugly and never repeat the bad.” For non-history geeks, history can get, well, old. But history is anything but old when you know how to study it and pull from it the nuggets that make it relate to YOUR story. Jenny shares her research behind her eighth novel, The Declaration, the Sword, and the Spy, and how she makes the American Revolution come alive for readers of all ages. Learn how to preserve historical accuracy while storytelling through fantasy fiction in a digital age where history is being rewritten and pushed to the margins. Fall in love with history, so that history will never get old.
Burns Club of Atlanta Jan 7, 2015
It was my honor to speak to the Burns Club of Atlanta with the topic, "Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Another Plot Line." Founded in 1896, it is the oldest literary society in Atlanta, and meets in "The Cottage," an exact replica of the Scottish home of the poet Robert Burns. Margaret Mitchell once spoke to this group. "Gone with the Wind" played a huge role in my becoming an author so it was surreal to stand where she once stood! It was an evening of rich history and colorful encounters as I met the author of the History of Coca-Cola, a fighter pilot, a Patrick Henry descendant, the man who built River Street in Savannah, and the Burns Club Vice President is descended from original Virginians who landed in Jamestown. We held hands and sang Burn's "Auld Lang Syne" to close the meeting. Not my usual audience so it was great fun for a change of venue and of course to gain new readers (I signed a ton of books.) Thank you, dear Gentlemen of the Burns Club! I look forward to returning.
What Burns Club Members had to say about the evening:
"Thank you for gracing the Cottage with your presence last evening. It is difficult to imagine a more entertaining and exciting presentation that we've experienced in my decade as a member. We hope you enjoyed yourself as much as the membership enjoyed having you present. You are always welcome to come back as a guest and as a featured speaker. Perhaps you would be kind enough to come back when you begin the follow-up novel to Patrick Henry? Just let us know when you would like to return as a guest, I'm sure there will be no shortage of members signing up to claim you for their table! You are now officially a true friend of the Burns Club of Atlanta! Thank you again for a wonderful presentation."
"You unleashed a tirade of moxie on my moxie-famished soul. You gave a wonderfully different, yet perfectly informative, presentation. Obviously, you have an open invitation to come back any time you want. Well done."
SCHEDULING JENNY
Audience/Length:
There is no minimum or maximum group size. All workshops are 60 minutes to allow plenty of time for Q&A and interaction/signing/pictures with Jenny and following the workshop.
Fees:
$250 per workshop plus travel expenses. Full Day Option: $1000. Jenny will spend the entire day with your group, providing a maximum of three workshops plus small group meetings with guests at lunch, classroom or library settings. For conferences or multi-day events, please contact Jenny for fees. A great option is for several schools/groups in an area/city to pool together to split expenses to make this an affordable opportunity. Please check Jenny's calendar for availability and to see if she will be in your area.
Promotion/Book Orders:
Your group will be provided with a custom flyer and, if desired, a book pre-order form to send to guests 3-4 weeks prior to the event. Guests will be able to pre-order personalized copies of desired books which Jenny will bring pre-signed and ready for distribution. Jenny will also bring a limited number of books with her on the day of the event.
AV Requirements:
Jenny will need a screen and projector with sound for PowerPoint presentations, and a small prop table. Jenny will bring her laptop or provide her presentation on a thumb drive, and she will also bring a wireless remote. Depending on the venue, Jenny will likely need a mic, preferably a headset over hand held.
More Information/Scheduling:
For questions, information, or to schedule Jenny, please send your desired dates, desired workshop (s), and information about your school or group to jenny@epicorderoftheseven.com.
